Christmas/New Year Opening hours

Tues 23rd Dec - Open 10am - 3pm

Wed 24th Dec  - CLOSED

Thur 25th Dec - CLOSED

Fri 26th Dec - CLOSED

Sat 27th Dec - Open 9.30am - 5.30pm

Sun and Mon (Closed as usual) 

Tue 30th Dec - Open 10am - 5pm

Wed 31st Dec - CLOSED

Thur 1st Jan - CLOSED
Fri 2nd Jan - CLOSED

Saturday onwards - Business as usual

Remember, we do consultations by appointment only, so make sure you book in in advance!!

Happy Christmas everyone, and Best wishes for 2015!! 

Decision making - choosing 'the one' when dress shopping. Making that final decision...

If you've been reading my blog posts, you'll have noticed that one of the pieces of advice I very often give to a bride when it comes to wedding dress shopping is to stop looking once you find one you love. Often ladies will visit my shop and tell me that they have fallen in love with one, two, three or four dresses already and I sometimes put the question to them 'why then are you still looking?'  The aim is to get it to one dress to wear on your wedding day - not to keeping adding to that list and seeing how many favourite dresses you can allow yourself to fall in love with.   However, I always assume that if they walked out of that previous shop (or shops) and chose to visit my shop, then they are still looking for 'the one' as they wouldn't still be looking!!!

However, sometimes a bride can get torn between two dresses.  She can feel really undecided and I'm often putting questions and scenarios to her to try and get her to think about he she would feel if she couldn't have a certain dress.   For example, how would she feel if we pointed out that the girl sitting beside her at work, or her cousin or sister-in-law was wearing the same dress? (and it was just before her own wedding!)  Would she be gutted?  Would the thought of not being able to get that dress if it went discontinued leave her really disappointed?  It wouldn't be the first time I've asked a bride to flip a coin and if she finds herself saying 'best of three' then it's the other dress...  or sometimes she just knows when that coin is up in the air!!

I came across this quote recently too by the actor Johnny Depp and it really struck a chord with me - but if we look at it in relation to wedding dresses instead. Just substitute the word 'people' with dresses and you'll catch my drift.  If you really loved the first dress, you wouldn't have even went looking at more dresses, let alone find yourself falling for another one.  I always say it's a bit like when you find your partner - if you're out looking for more frogs to kiss, there's something badly wrong, but if he (or she!) is the one, you won't care about the thought of never being with someone else.  

And remember, the biggest choice of all is picking the right person to be with,  Nothing else matters as much - even though for many, it may feel like picking your dress is the biggest decision you've had to make!!  You followed your heart and chose your partner based on what you felt in your heart (not based on the opinions and influence of a entourage of helpers) so follow your heart and you won't go wrong with the wedding dress either :)  

Eight top mistakes to avoid when looking for your wedding dress

You've just got engaged and one of the first things on your mind is the wedding dress.  Questions race through your mind - what shape will I wear?  What neckline will mine be?  Will it be a modern style dress? Will it be vintage inspired?  When will I start shopping?  Who will I bring with me? Where will I go to look?  What is my budget?   How much research do I do before I go shopping?

There are so many questions and so many ways to go wrong when it comes to picking your dress. I've got to see these over the ten years I've had my shop (Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage) and I hope to address some of these questions and help you steer away from making some of the mistakes that many brides make which will help you on your quest to find that perfect dress!!

1. Don't go looking too early.  You really shouldn't go shopping until at least 12 - 14 months before your wedding.  Couples tend to have longer engagements these days and the temptation is there to go looking as soon as you get the ring on your finger. If you go too early, you run the risk of over-thinking things and seeing styles that will be gone or discontinued by the time you are ready to buy.  New styles are always coming along, and if you buy 2 or 3 years before your wedding and a new trend comes along 12 months before your wedding, you may find yourself getting tempted to change your dress - a very costly thing to do!!  And as wedding dresses are made to order, there's no exchange policy in bridal shops if you change your mind!!!!  So go shopping when you feel it's time to start properly looking for a dress to wear for your wedding.  For some ladies, this time may be 9 months before, for others, it's 13 or 14 months before - each bride feels ready in their own time.  The key point is to go only when you are ready. This might sound logical, but we get numerous 'out for ideas' appointments where the bride isn't focused and ends up getting overwhelmed and more confused.   Plus, she may go back months later to see a dress she loved when it was too early for her to commit and find that it's been sold or has went discontinued. Don't assume that if you see one you love that it will be still there later on for you to come back to.
2. Don't go too late.  Wedding dresses have to be made to order, so if you leave it too late, you will be at a huge disadvantage as you will have a very limited choice ie. whatever the shop has in the size you are.  As a rule, most dresses need to be ordered about 7 months in advance (although some can be ordered a bit closer than that) so you will be cutting down your choices substantially if you leave it past this.  There is also a risk of 'panic-buying' your dress which you may regret!
3. Choose your helpers wisely.   I have a whole blog post dedicated to this one!!  My advice is to bring one or two helpers with you, and to make sure that they are on the same wave-length as you.  If your mother or sister or best friend is very opinionated and is always pushing ideas on you, then leave her at home and bring her along to see your dress once you've picked it.  I sometimes get brides who bring four, five or six 'helpers' and they are getting various opinions thrown at them before they even get to look in the mirror and end up feeling deflated if negative things are being said about how the dresses looks  (eg. 'that makes your bum look huge', 'you've got back fat in that one', 'you can't carry that style off', 'your shoulders are too broad to wear that neckline'.)  More of a hindrance that a help!!! Often your helpers will think they are giving constructive criticism, but what you find is that the whole experience just highlights your insecurities and turns into a bit of a nightmare - so choose wisely!! And remember that old saying about too many cooks!  
4. Don't have tunnel vision .   Many brides spend hours online looking at 6ft tall size 6 or 8 models who are perfectly proportioned and choose their type of dress based on what they see in these pictures.  They come to visit a shop and won't look at other styles, therefore limiting them to a style that may not be all that flattering compared to a different style of dress. It pays to keep an open mind when coming shopping, and don't forget that the staff in the shops have seen all the dresses on and will often be able to guide you to things that will be really flattering on.
5. Picking a dress to please someone else.  This one follows on from point number 3.  All brides will want to get opinions from friends, and/or family members - I can count on one hand how many have bought in my shop in the past ten years without bringing along a helper. However, she should be careful when it comes to taking opinions on board. Well-meaning friends may influence a bride to go for a dress that she doesn't really love. Up until she asks people for opinions, a bride may be over the moon with the dress that she has been considering, but if the negative comments follow, she may decide to choose something else based on the lack of enthusiasm from her helpers and she could end up with a dress that doesn't make her as happy, or as I call it, a 'compromise dress'.  Expecting others to refrain from voicing their opinions isn't realistic. Asking people for recommendations and advice is one thing, but asking them to give their verdicts about a specific dress is another. In the end, the wedding dress only needs to please one person: the bride. As long as she is happy with it, everything else should fall into place.
   
6. Trying on too many wedding dresses.  If you end up trying on dozens of dresses, they all tend to blur together in your mind, and what happens is that looking back and trying to remember  a single one can be just about impossible. If you try on too many dresses, you are a lot less likely to experience that magical moment of discovering the perfect dress when you try on one after another - after another after another.....- over a period of several months. (back to point one in the first tip - this often happens when you start looking to early!!) If possible, try to limit yourself to about 12 dresses at most (unless the 12 are horrible and you need to keep trying to find one that you look good in!) You should only keep trying on more dress when you the ones you've been trying aren't the right ones for you. In some cases, a bride-to-be may be tempted to keep trying on different styles because she just isn't ready to commit to a single one. This kind of thinking is dangerous and can lead to a lot of wasted time and confusion. If a bride tries on too many dresses, she's far more likely to second-guess herself as well and later doubt her decision.  Don't fall into that trap!!  I did a survey recently and found out that 40% of brides found their dress in the first shop, 26% on the second shop, and 18% in the third shop. (leaving 16% who went to look at 4 or more - one even went to 24 appointments!!!) so don't be assuming that something is wrong if you haven't visited 7 shops!!! That isn't the norm - far from it! 84% of brides buy their dress after visiting three shops or less, with the first shop being the most popular shop to buy in. 
7. Trying on dresses that are over your budget.  If you have a strict budget of £850, don't be tempted to try on a £1700 dress if there is no way that you can afford it.  It will only leave you feeling down in the dumps if you fall in love with it and can't re-work your budget to suit,  You will always look at the dress you end up buying and feel like it's second best.  I had a very depressed bride in recently who made the mistake of trying on and falling in love with a £5000 dress in another bridal shop which was four times her budget.  She was very frustrated trying to find one that lived up to this dress.  Always let the sales team know your budget and they will always help to guide you - they might even have a discontinued dress in the store room that would be perfect for you. 
8. Waiting for 'that reaction'  Some brides have been told that you will get a certain reaction when you find 'the one'.  Some people tell you that you should cry.  Others reckon you need to be jumping up and down with excitement.  The truth is, neither of these are common reactions and I can never predict how an individual will react when she finds her dress.  Some brides are more dramatic in general than others and they will have a different reaction compared to a more placid or easy-going bride.   If you find yourself saying that you really like a dress, but feel that you still need to keep looking, then it probably isn't the one.  Some brides tell me when they visit my shop that they have a potential dress picked out in another shop but not ordered, and I always remind them that they wouldn't be out trying more dresses on in my shop if it was 'the one.'  When you find 'the one', you won't be interested in any other dresses.  I often compare it to finding your man - I ask brides if they felt they needed to kiss all the men in their town to be sure that their fiancé was the one for them.  They all tell me that they fell in love and didn't need to kiss any more frogs to know . Finding your wedding dress is a bit like that and you shouldn't put yourself under any more pressure when you find one that you love to keep trying on more and more dresses to try and get some sort of stronger reaction.  When you fall in love, stop looking!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The dress you will pick has to do one thing to you. It has to make you feel beautiful. You should look in the mirror and get a 'feeling' about it. For some, it's simply feeling like a million dollars.  For others, it's butterflies in their tummy or feeling their heart skip a beat.  For many it is feeling excited about your fiancé seeing you walking up the aisle in the dress you are standing in.  The earth won't move.  The tears probably won't flow, and you won't pass out with excitement, but you will will say 'I love this dress!!'  and the thought that for one reason or another you couldn't have that dress would probably make you feel gutted.                                                                                                                                                                                     

Best of luck with the wedding dress shopping!!!      xx Ciara           

Last minute availability for the Maggie Sottero Trunk Show on Sat 4th Oct!!

We've had a few ladies who cancelled last-minute for our Maggie trunk show (see previous blog entry to find out more about this event) so if you'd like to book in, please email me on beautifuldaybrides@hotmail.com or phone me after 9.30am on the event day on 02871 813682.


There are 30 dresses in on loan at the event from Maggie Sottero and it's a once a year event, so if you love Maggie dresses, get in touch and don't miss this opportunity!!

(plus there's 10% on all Maggie Sottero dressses for orders placed at the event)

You can also contact us through our facebook page if you follow our feeds on there.

Calling all 2015 brides - Maggie Sottero Trunk Show!!

It's that time again!  We're now taking bookings for 2015 brides for our annual Maggie Sottero Trunk Show Designer Weekend which will be held on the 4th and 5th of October.  If you're wondering what exactly a trunk show is, read on........

When the designers have finished showing the shop owners their new collections, each shop owner gets a chance to take 30 of their favourite dresses to their premises to show them off to their customers.  These are the dresses which are worn by the models at the catwalk shows and are generally size 8 dresses (suitable for trying on for brides size 12 or smaller). 


When the dresses come to our shop that weekend, we will be putting away any dresses which are not by Maggie Sottero and the dresses on show during the event will be our current Maggie dresses (ranging from size 10 - 18), plus the 30 dresses that are on loan.  We work strictly by appointment only and all appointments must be confirmed in the week of the event.   Anyone who decides to put a deposit on a Maggie Sottero dress during the event will get a 10% discount on their dress.

Please note that if you fall in love with one of the samples on loan, you will not be able to come back and try it on again as the dress has to be sent back after the event, so it's a good idea to make sure you bring any key decision makers with you that day.  You can't bring your mum or your best friend back the following week for a second opinion!!  So if you can't pick a dress without them, then make sure you bring them with you. 

It's always a good idea to have been out looking beforehand so that you feel ready to buy if you do find 'the one' without feeling the need to come back and see it again.  Also, to qualify for the discount, you need to place a deposit of at least £200 on the day.

Key points to remember
- 30 dresses on loan for 1 weekend only.  These can't be re-visited!
- Borrowed dresses are size 8.
- 10% off for orders placed at the event.  £200 minimum deposit.
- Bring your key decision makers with you that day (unless you are going to be making your own choice).
- Have a good idea of what you are looking for before you come.
- Book an appointment in advance.

Book now for our Autumn 2 day sale! (plus top tips for visiting a wedding dress sample sale)

All sample dresses in the sale will be reduced by AT LEAST 50%, with discounts of up to 75%.  The selection of dresses will include current season dresses (reduced for those two days only and then reverting to full price) and discontinued dresses.  Most dresses will be Maggie Sottero gowns, with dresses also by Essense of Australia, Special Day and White One,  Book now to secure your 1 hour private slot.  Thursday and Friday the 2nd and 3rd of October 2014.

Many dresses will be from our current collection and will only be reduced for the 2-day sale and will then revert to full price once the sale is over.  So remember to bring your purse and your helping crew!! 

People always ask me about sale days and what advice I would give anyone looking to come to one, so here's a list of top tips that I've put together which should help you to on your quest to find a dream dress at a bargain price!

Top tips for attending a sample sale..

1. Get out beforehand and try dresses on.
Don’t make a sample sale your first bridal shopping trip.  The girls who come prepared with ideas from trying on beforehand are the girls who have the most success at getting a bargain.  You will be restricted to the number of dresses you can try on (5 max!!)  so you don't get the normal private consultation to try and figure out what shapes and styles you prefer and which ones flatter your figure.  When you come to a bridal sample sale, you should already have a good idea of what style you are looking for, what size you need and what suits your shape.

2. Bring a friend

Don’t bring a whole entourage, but bring someone who will be brutally honest. Weddings are expensive and any discount you can get, especially if it’s on your dress, is well worth it - but only if you will be happy with it. Brief your friend to be brutally honest and listen to  her (or him!)  And remember that on a 2 day sale,  you can't go for a look and come back again the next week.  So if you need your friend/sister/mum with you to help you make the final decision, then make sure she comes with you to the sale event. 

3. Wear the right underwear
This is a wedding dress appointment necessity regardless, but make sure you wear the right undies! You need to do everything you can to see how the dress will fit you.   

4. Bring your purse!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd be surprised at how many people don't think about this one - remember, it's a two day sale, and we don't hold items over.  So bring your purse (we accept all major credit/debit cards) so that if you do find 'the one' then you can actually buy it!!! (and many of the dresses will be reverting to full price after the event)

5.  Ask the sales assistants about sizing.

Bridal sizes are generally a bit smaller than high street sizes, so when you are looking, bear that in mind.  But also, don't be afraid of looking at dresses which are a little bit bigger as they can always be taken in.  If in doubt, ask one of our sales assistants for guidance on the sizes when you are looking through the dresses.   All dresses will be grouped in sizes to make it easier.

Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage, Greysteel, Co Derry -  Tel 028718 13682
www.beautifuldaybrides.co.uk

10% off for one week to celebrate our 10th birthday

From Wed 10th to Wed 17th inclusive, all new orders will have 10% discount to celebrate our 10th birthday!*

*not available in conjunction with other offers - cannot be backdated or exchanged for money - 50% deposit must be made when ordering.  Applies to wedding dress, bridesmaid dress and accessory orders as well as storage boxes.

Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage, Greysteel, Co Derry

www.beautifuldaybrides.co.uk

Tenth birthday offers at Beautiful Day

Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage in Greysteel is 10 years old this month - on the 10th of September to be exact, and we've got some great things going on in the shop to celebrate!!!

Firstly, we've decided to give 10% off any new orders placed with us from the 10th Sept to the 17th Sept inclusive. (50% deposit must be paid to get this offer and only applies to new orders)

Secondly, a big 2 day sale will be held on Thurs 2nd and Fri 3rd October.  All sale dresses will be discounted by at least 50%, including some newer styles as well as discontinued lines.  We will be booking 1 hr slots for this from 12 - 8 on the Thursday and 10 - 3 o the Friday, so book early to avoid disappointment!!  Styles in teh sale are from Maggie Sottero, Essense of Australia, White One and Special Day.

Thirdly, we will be holding our annual Maggie Sottero designer weekend / trunk show on the 4th and 5th of October.  You'll get a preview of the new collection (including many styles that we don't normally have!!), plus you'll get 10% all Maggie orders placed that weekend too.  Please note that the trunk show dresses are the dresses that are used for the catwalk shows and will normally not fit ladies who are bigger than a size 12 (we will be doing a 'curvy girls weekend next year, so keep your eye out for that if you want to come to an event with larger sizes).  Again, it''s strictly by appointment only, so book your slot as early as you can as this is always a popular event!

Last call for Brides Across the Bridge!!

This year I've had the honor of being one of the sponsors  for the Foyle Hospice's 'Brides Across the Bridge' event.  Last year, myself, my staff, members of my family and hundreds of other women (and one man!) took to the streets of Derry in wedding dresses and set a world record of 748 brides making it the largest gathering of brides in history!!

The Foyle Hospice were delighted to not only have raised thousands of pounds, and to get the Guinness Record, but to top this they picked up The Institute of Fundraising - Fundraising Event of the Year Award earlier this month.

The craic was ninety!!

The people of our city and from beyond (they are coming from miles away to take part!!) will be taking to the streets this week again to celebrate in their dresses. The event takes place this Saturday the 5th July 2014 at 3.30pm at the Guildhall Square and once again a stream of brides will parade over the Peace Bridge in their wedding attire.  It costs £10 to register to take part (or £5 for 'mini-me' brides - children are welcome to come along in their little dresses!!) and the hope is that we will raise thousands more this year and re-capture some of the magic we had at last years event.  And for those who couldn't make it last year, it will be a chance to get to be part of this great event and to have a bit of craic in their wedding dresses too.  The atmosphere was electric last year and if it's half as much fun as it was then, then you'd be mad to miss out!!

Get down to Foyleside ladies!!

For those of you who have decided last-minute to take part and need to go searching for a dress, there will  be dresses to hire out at the pop up shop opposite DV8 on level 2 of Foyleside Centre on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week (see the Brides Across the Bridge facebook page for more details.)   The dresses were donated by our own shop, as well as from local shops such as Austin's and The Bridal Showroom.  Lots were kindly donated by the public, and I had boxes of dresses sent over the Irish sea - kindly donated to me by Giselle, Sarah, Cheryl, Linda and Laura who all own Bridal shops and wanted to help out.  There were about 60 dresses in total and about half are hired out already, so get your skates on this week if you want to get your hands on one!

Follow this link for more details and for the pop-up hire shop opening times. 

Brides-Across-the-Bridge facebook page - click here

Best of luck to the Foyle Hospice and I hope that everyone taking part has a fab day.  I'll be wearing my mum's wedding dress (my granny bought it for her this time 40 years ago and my parents will soon be celebrating their Ruby wedding anniversary) 

I'd love to hear about you and your wedding dress!!!  Leave a wee message below and tell us what you will be wearing on Saturday :) 

xx Ciara
Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage

www.beautifudaybrides.co.uk

Calling all girls with curves!!!!

We're really excited to announce that we are now taking bookings for our Curvy Girls event which will be on the 28th and 29th June 2014.    We normally only get to do one of these a year, but we've managed to get a second one organised for this year which our brides will be delighted to hear about!!  Our event at the start of January was a huge success!!

At Beautiful Day, we are well known for keeping stock in a variety of sizes with well over a quarter of our stock aimed at the size 18+ bride, with many from Special Day's Beautiful Brides Plus collection.  However, on our Curvy Girl event, we will be getting a range of plus sized Maggie Sottero dresses on loan for one weekend only which will give our brides an even wider range to choose from.  At the event, we also give 10% discount to anyone who places a deposit on a wedding dress, and the good thing is that even if you are not ready to get measured or to pay the usual 50% deposit, you can pay a smaller £200 deposit and revisit us approx 6 - 7 months before the big day and get the size finalised and the rest of the deposit paid.

This is our fourth Curvy Girls weekend and they do book up fast if past events are anything to go by.  The feedback from past Curvy Girl weekends has been fantastic and all the brides who come to this event comment on how impressed they are with the choice of styles.

Tel us on 02871 813682 or email us on beautifuldaybrides@hotmail.com to book in,

Or fill in our booking form on http://beautifuldaybrides.co.uk/contact/1341570

After-hours appointments on Wednesdays and their refundable booking fees

Just a wee note to explain all about how our appointment system works for late nights.
We open Tues - Sat during the day with late nights on Wednesdays (normally until about 8pm or 8.30pm) and for any appointments booked in for a Wednesday evening after 5pm, we take a £25 booking fee.

This fee is refunded
a) when the bride arrives for her appointment, or
b) if she has to cancel and gives us prior notice.  (Normally 24 hrs, but if she contacts us first thing in the morning when we open we will go ahead and refund)



I implemented this three years ago after a string of no-shows (three on one particular night!!)  It's a problem we have every week during the daytime, but it's even more frustrating when you have given up your evening with your family to stay on late at work and don't get any notice that a bride will not be attending her appointment.  It does work.  In the 3 years we have been doing this, I've had one no-show who lost her £25.  I've also let two slip the net who gave me excuses why they couldn't pay, and both let me down which is why I am very strict about taking the booking fee.  No fee, no evening appointment!!  I hope this explains why we do it.  Most people are very understanding and are happy to pay.  We do get the odd protest about it, but I hope anyone reading this will see why I brought this system in.

If you are booking a late night, you'll have to ring the shop on 02871 813682 so that we can get your credit or debit card details (we don't like people sending details by email!!) .  Alternatively , you can pay by paypal at beautifuldaybrides@hotmail.com (you'll need to request an invoice from us via email), or you can call in in person to the shop.

Let me know if you have any questions!!

Sale day tips and advice to get your dream dress at a bargain price!!

We have set a date!!  It will be on Friday and Saturday 25th and 26th April, from 10am to 5pm both days.  This time we are operating an appointment-only system with 50 min slots, so you MUST BOOK IN in advance to guarantee that you will be able to try on dresses.  

All sale dresses reduced by AT LEAST 50%.  

Many reduced by up to 75%

Many dresses will be from our current collection and will only be reduced for the 2-day sale and will then revert to full price once the sale is over.  So remember to bring your purse and your helping crew!! 

People always ask me about sale days and what advice I would give anyone looking to come to one, so here's a list of top tips that I've put together which should help you to on your quest to find a dream dress at a bargain price!

Top tips for attending a sample sale..

1. Get out beforehand and try dresses on.
Don’t make a sample sale your first bridal shopping trip.  The girls who come prepared with ideas from trying on beforehand are the girls who have the most success at getting a bargain.  You will be restricted to the number of dresses you can try on (5 max!!)  so you don't get the normal private consultation to try and figure out what shapes and styles you prefer and which ones flatter your figure.  When you come to a bridal sample sale, you should already have a good idea of what style you are looking for, what size you need and what suits your shape.

2. Bring a friend

Don’t bring a whole entourage, but bring someone who will be brutally honest. Weddings are expensive and any discount you can get, especially if it’s on your dress, is well worth it - but only if you will be happy with it. Brief your friend to be brutally honest and listen to  her (or him!)  And remember that on a 2 day sale,  you can't go for a look and come back again the next week.  So if you need your friend/sister/mum with you to help you make the final decision, then make sure she comes with you to the sale event. 

3. Wear the right underwear
This is a wedding dress appointment necessity regardless, but make sure you wear the right undies! You need to do everything you can to see how the dress will fit you.   

4. Bring your purse!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd be surprised at how many people don't think about this one - remember, it's a two day sale, and we don't hold items over.  So bring your purse (we accept all major credit/debit cards) so that if you do find 'the one' then you can actually buy it!!! (and many of the dresses will be reverting to full price after the event)

5.  Ask the sales assistants about sizing.

Bridal sizes are generally a bit smaller than high street sizes, so when you are looking, bear that in mind.  But also, don't be afraid of looking at dresses which are a little bit bigger as they can always be taken in.  If in doubt, ask one of our sales assistants for guidance on the sizes when you are looking through the dresses.   All dresses will be grouped in sizes to make it easier.

Part-time job at Beautiful Day Bridal Cottage

We are recruiting a new member of staff to work at Beautiful Day and anyone interested should apply directly to the shop by sending their CV to us in person, by post or by email at beautifuldaybrides@hotmail.com.  The closing date is Fri 21st March at 12 noon.

People often think that it's quite a glamorous job working in a bridal shop, but I want to let you know that it is a very physically demanding job and it's hard work!!  The successful candidate should be energetic, hard working and physically fit.  A good eye for detail and an eye for fashion is essential as the job involves helping brides pick out dresses and matching accessories.  And as the job involves working closely with a bride and her helpers, then good interpersonal skills and enthusiasm is essential!!  Experience working in a bridal shop would be an advantage, but is not essential, however we would expect at least a year's experience working in retail.

Whoever gets the job will be expected to work most Saturdays from 9.30am until 5.30pm and must be able to do an occasional day outside this too (eg to cover holidays, help with wedding fayres, sale events or to lend a helping hand if we have a particularly busy week) so flexibility is a must.

Interviews will take place in the week commencing 24th March.

Good luck!! And if you have any questions, please drop me an email or ring the shop on 02871 813682.

Shopping for your wedding dress - some questions and answers.......

Hi everyone!!  Haven't been blogging now for a few months, so trying to get back into the swing of it!  I've had several queries recently (particularly at the wedding fayres) and I've been jotting them down to address in a blog, so I'm grouping them all together in this topic.   Your essential guide of Q&As in relation to going wedding dress shopping in our shop. Hope you find some useful tips. xx Ciara

When should I go looking for my dress?
We are always getting new styles coming along and dress styles are always getting discontinued, so in short, my answer is go when you are ready to seriously think about buying the dress.  In an ideal world, we'd all go looking 2 years before to get ideas, we'd find a dress, and then come back 8 months and it's still there waiting for you, but in practice it doesn't work. So don't make the mistake of missing out on your dream dress because you've come too early and found out that the dream dress you found last year has gone discontinued or that we've sold our sample.  And don't leave it too late either or you may be limited to buying off the peg!!!  Last orders are usually 6-7 months before the wedding, but 12 months before is a good time to start looking.  Our brides order on average about 10 months before their big day.

Who should I bring with me?
We have seating for up to three people in our bridal rooms. Any more than this, and the search can often get chaotic with too many opinions and not working on focussing on you and what your wants and needs are. Ideally, one or two helpers is best, but don't be afraid of setting out to look on your own either.  You'll often want your closest friend, a sister, your mum or someone close to you to help you make that final decision, but just make sure that whoever you bring, they will be on the same wavelength as you and that they will give you honest feedback without letting their own personal tastes get in the way if finding the dress for you. Choose your helpers wisely!!  If you don't, you could be setting yourself up for a difficult and frustrating time!

How long do I get for an appointment?
You will normally get 70 mins for an appointment.  However, if you get to the end of your allocated time and you find that you want to see more dresses, you are more than welcome to book a second appointment to come back another day.  We often run on a tight schedule, especially on Saturdays, so try to be on time.  If you are late, we cannot let you eat into the time of the girl after you. (I had a bit of a backlash about this one recently from an unhappy bride, but I'd like to think that most of you would be happy to oblige when it comes to helping to keep our appointment book running to schedule and not keeping other brides waiting.)

What should I wear?
If you can, wear a strapless bra and big knickers (unless you aren't embarrassed about being seen braless or in a skimpy thong!)  You are free to wear leggings or tights if that makes you feel more comfortable (or warmer in the winter).  We do give a one-to-one personal service in our shop and you will be helped into and out of the dresses at all times, so make sure you feel comfortable with what you are wearing.  Bring heels if you can as the dresses are quite long (we'll have extra pairs of court shoes and a box for you to stand on if you need a little help though!!)  And we would would ask for minimal make-up and no rub-off tans. You will be trying on thousands of pounds worth of dresses, so things like heavy foundation and lipstick mean expensive trips to the dry-cleaners for us, so you may be asked to remove make up if you come with quite a lot on!!

I have a strict budget!
Our dresses range from £400 to £1800, and we always will do our best to steer you in the right direction should you be on a strict budget.  Just let us know what your budget is when you arrive or when you are booking your appointment and we will keep you right!!  We would never encourage you to try on an £1800 dress if your budget is £900 and it can often lead to frustration on the brides part, so keep us informed.

Can I take pictures?
I used to turn a blind eye to this one, but due to designers' stricter copyright rules, photography of their dresses in our shop is not permitted (unless it is a dress you have purchased or have placed a deposit on). We are not even permitted to take photos at our designers' fashion shows :(   Almost all dresses can be viewed on the designers' websites anyway, so we will point you in the right direction should you wish to have a picture of the dress to see at home.  And don't forget that you are welcome to come and see your favourite dresses again should you need to - we won't expect you to make a decision based on your memory of one visit.

If I find a dress, what deposit do I need?
You'll need 50% of the dress price to place an order.  However, assuming you have got the time, you can pay an initial deposit of £200 and pay up to the 50% in instalments.  Quite a lot of our brides find it easier to do it this way.


Also, just a note to say that it is always a wise move to look for your wedding dress first before you move on to your bridesmaids.  It can be often a confusing task when presented with bridesmaid shopping when you have no idea if your dress is white or ivory or champagne, when you have no idea if you will fall for a modern style or vintage inspired style, or when you have no idea what neckline you are looking for.  Get the wedding dress sorted first, and your task will be much easier and you'll have a clearer focus.

And let us know if your close friend, your cousin, your sister-in-law or workmate has got their dress with us. Our dresses are available for anyone to order, but if we get a heads-up on connections with existing customers, we can make sure we steer you away from picking the same dress as them :)

And remember to keep an open mind when you go shopping.  You might feel a million dollars in a dress that you never dreamed of trying on, so don't come in wearing blinkers and be prepared to surprise yourself!!  Some girls find their dream dress in their first shop - for others it takes a few more trips around to find one that they love, so be patient and don't get too disheartened if you don't find it right away.